STREAMLINING USABILITY FOR AN ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE SYSTEM
The Service System redesign focused on addressing critical usability issues in an outdated and overly complex elevator maintenance software. Despite its extensive features, the original system was plagued by redundant forms, fragmented workflows, and a cluttered interface, which severely impacted user experience, productivity, and operational efficiency.
About Site Service Software Inc.
Site Service Software delivers a comprehensive and scalable suite of solutions tailored for the elevator service industry. From maintenance and repairs to modernization, inspections, and violations tracking, the platform streamlines operations and enhances efficiency. With seamless ERP integration and adaptability for businesses of any size, Site Service Software revolutionizes the industry by centralizing all aspects of elevator service management.
My Role
Performed competitor analysis and interviewed the previous software developer to gather insights for design solutions.
Led the software redesign, creating wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes based on stakeholder feedback.
Produced update presentations and maintained ongoing communication with stakeholders to ensure project alignment and efficiency.
Tools
Illustrator, Figma, Balsamiq, WIX
Timeline
3 Months
PROBLEM
The elevator maintenance software is outdated and features a poorly designed interface, which hinders usability and efficiency. Its cluttered layout, redundant features, and fragmented workflows force users to navigate multiple sections for related tasks, increasing cognitive load, unnecessary effort, and reducing productivity. Additionally, its static design falls short of modern usability standards and could be improved to enhance the overall user experience.
CHALLENGE
How might we redesign the user interface of the elevator maintenance software to simplify navigation, streamline workflows, and provide users with a more intuitive and efficient experience while incorporating modern design elements to enhance clarity and functionality?
DESIGN SOLUTIONS
Dashboard
Previous Format
The form is outdated, with an overwhelming amount of unorganized data. The lack of elements, such as search, filters, color coding, or dynamic interactivity, hinders usability and makes it time-consuming to navigate and manage contracts effectively.
Redesign Format
The redesign prioritizes efficiency, user control, and readability, delivering a user-centric design with streamlined workflows and dynamic features. By balancing functionality and aesthetics, it provides a smoother, more productive experience, making it an effective tool for managing long lists within the software.
Contracts List
Previous Format
The form is outdated, with an overwhelming amount of unorganized data. The lack of elements, such as search, filters, color coding, or dynamic interactivity, hinders usability and makes it time-consuming to navigate and manage contracts effectively.
Redesign Format
The redesign prioritizes efficiency, user control, and readability, delivering a user-centric design with streamlined workflows and dynamic features. By balancing functionality and aesthetics, it provides a smoother, more productive experience, making it an effective tool for managing long lists within the software.
Forms
Previous
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Dense information without sufficient spacing makes the interface overwhelming and harder to scan.
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The design utilizes a static design with minimal modern aesthetics or interactivity.
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Users must toggle between two windows for full contract information, disrupting workflow.
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There is no color coding or bold headings to guide attention to critical fields.
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The device table lacks sorting or filtering options, requiring manual scrolling for larger datasets.
Redesign
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Consolidates scattered information into grouped sections for a more focused experience, with expandable and collapsible sections.
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Simplifies data entry using interactive elements like date pickers, checkboxes, and dropdown menus.
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Includes a filtering tool in the table to help users quickly locate specific details, improving efficiency.
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Tooltips clarify each field’s functionality, enhancing user understanding.
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More structured layout with well-defined areas, larger clickable sections, and clearer categories.
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Utilizes modern UI elements such as icons and sliders for an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface.
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Presents data in a visually appealing way with clearer labels, better color contrast, and more readable fonts.
BUSINESS GOAL
The software should offer a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline operations, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance customer satisfaction.
RESEARCH
Understanding the stakeholders needs
Elevator Service Companies
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They need a system that handles tasks, like scheduling repairs or sending technicians to job sites, automatically.
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Since elevator companies must follow strict safety and inspection rules (like NYC DOB inspections). They need tools to remind them of deadlines, track any violations, and securely store all the necessary paperwork.
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They needs a way to keep technicians and customers updated instantly. For instance, the system should inform technicians of schedule changes and notify customers when their service is complete.
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They need clear reports to see how well technicians are performing, how quickly jobs are completed, and how satisfied customers are.
Technicians
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They need to easily check their schedules, see the tasks assigned to them, and review inspection requirements while on-site.
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They require step-by-step guidance for their tasks to avoid mistakes. It should also be simple for them to update their progress, add notes, or input data without extra hassle.
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They need instant alerts about changes to their schedule or new information to stay informed and avoid delays or miscommunication.
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To troubleshoot issues quickly, they should be able to look up past service records, equipment details, or previous inspections. This saves time and helps them resolve problems efficiently.
Building Owners/Managers
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They want an online system where they can clearly view the history of services performed on their elevators, upcoming inspection dates, and invoices. This keeps them informed and in control.
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They need real-time updates, such as notifications about the progress of repairs, inspection results, or any delays.
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They require a centralized system to report problems and track updates on their resolution.
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It’s crucial for inspections and maintenance to be completed on time to prevent unexpected breakdowns and avoid fines for failing to meet safety regulations.
State of the Art in History Games for Children
Board games offer tactile, interactive learning experiences, often involving group collaboration or competition. They are particularly effective for reinforcing concepts like timelines, cause and effect, and historical relationships between events.
TIMELINE
A card game where players arrange events in chronological order to understand the flow of history, promoting historical literacy and critical thinking.
Key insights from the TIMELINE game, adapted for children aged 5-7:
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Sequencing: Focuses on arranging events in order, emphasizing the sequence rather than the exact dates.
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Visual Learning: Uses cards with visual cues to make understanding events easier.
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Progressive Learning: Introduces events gradually, allowing players to build their timeline step by step.
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Rewards: Correct placements advance the game and unlock new challenges.
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Collaboration: Can be played cooperatively or competitively, encouraging discussion and teamwork.
HISTORIA
A board game where players guide a civilization through time, learning about technological advancements, wars, and cultural shifts. This game teaches broad historical trends while encouraging strategic thinking.
Key insights from the HISTORIA game, adapted for children aged 5-7:
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Storytelling and Role Play: Emphasizes strategic choices that influence the growth of a civilization.
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Collaborative Play: Players compete but also share experiences like wars or alliances.
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Achievable Goals: Rewards players for reaching milestones.
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Clear Visual Cues: Uses visuals to represent advancements, conflicts, and cultural shifts.
WHAT IF?
Developing the tool concept, and brainstorming possibilities.
BRAINSTORMING - Product Concept
The game starts with a narrated historical event, drawing children in with storytelling and visuals.
After listening, each child reflects on what stood out to them and recreates the event by drawing and assembling key elements, focusing on important details like characters or actions.
They then share their creations with the group, explaining their choices. The group discusses and combines their ideas into a complete retelling of the event.
The game promotes engagement, creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, making history interactive and meaningful for children.
Articulated Stories
The game helps students learn about key dates, figures, and events that shaped Colombia's history. Through questions and tasks, it strengthens their knowledge, encourages critical thinking, and helps them see how past events impact modern Colombia.
As students work together to answer questions and match their answers with their peers, they earn stackable cubes that represent their growing understanding. These cubes are used to build a structure, and the first group to complete it wins the game.
Levels of Environment
The core idea is to have students work together to organize historical events in the correct sequence. This helps them think critically about cause-and-effect relationships and understand the importance of each event in the bigger picture of history.
The game mixes teamwork with friendly competition, creating a fun learning experience. The main goal is to help students connect individual events to a larger timeline, showing how different moments in history are linked.
Constructed Identity
WHAT WOWS?
This phase involved testing the prototypes to determine the most effective approach for the final product.
LO-FI PROTOTYPES
Articulated Stories
Key insights from the test:
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Children focused on the most engaging parts of the story, showing that when they connect with what interests them, learning becomes more meaningful.
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They found it easier to understand and organize history by linking events and ideas logically.
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The joy in creativity was clear, as children were excited to illustrate and create their own versions of the story.
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By connecting different ideas, children better understood the overall historical context.
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The active participation, where children took the lead in their learning, significantly boosted their motivation and retention.
Levels of Environment
Key insights from the experiment:
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Children remembered the most attention-grabbing parts of the story about the conquest of Colombia but forgot details they found irrelevant. Focusing on the most captivating aspects can help solidify key facts in their memory.
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The children weren't fully satisfied after filling the game board with cubes for correct answers.
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External rewards or stimuli are needed to keep them motivated throughout the activity.
Constructed Identity
Key insights from the experiment:
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Children remembered the most attention-grabbing parts of the story about the conquest of Colombia but forgot details they found irrelevant. Focusing on the most captivating aspects can help solidify key facts in their memory.
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The children weren't fully satisfied after filling the game board with cubes for correct answers.
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External rewards or stimuli are needed to keep them motivated throughout the activity.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Game Concept
Game Methodoly
The game begins with children being given story cards, each depicting key historical events. On one side of the card, there is an image, while the other side provides details about the event. As the teacher narrates these historical events, the children must search for the corresponding cards and arrange them in chronological order on their game boards, following the sequence of the story.
Once the story is fully assembled and the sequence of events is correctly laid out, the active gameplay starts.
Product Prototype
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The artwork is vibrant and engaging, aligning with the developmental preferences of the target age group. The visual design should help reinforce the historical themes while making the game enjoyable and easy to understand.
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Characters and backgrounds simple but bold, using strong colors and clear outlines to make each element easily distinguishable.
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The storyline must be easy to follow, with clear visual cues that guide the reader through the narrative.
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Characters are designed consistently, with recognizable features that make it easy for children to identify them throughout the comic.
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Use size, color, and placement to create a visual hierarchy that guides the reader's eye and emphasizes the most important elements of the story.
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The circular shape of the board represent the ongoing and interconnected nature of history. This design helps players visually grasp the concept of time as a continuous loop.
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Incorporate interactive zones (holes) are where players encounter challenges.
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The circular shape and the concept of patching holes are more than just gameplay mechanics—they symbolically represent the idea of resolving historical challenges and learning from the past. This adds depth to the game, making abstract concepts like time, mistakes, and historical consequences tangible for young players.
CONCEPT TESTING
WHAT WORKS?
This phase detailed how the prototype evolved to meet project goals and user needs by incorporating feedback from the testing phase.
HI-FI PROTOTYPE
The game uses a simple, age-appropriate storytelling comic designed for children aged 5-7, featuring a kid on a quest to discover Colombia's history.
By involving a kid directly in the narrative, the game makes the learning process fun and immersive.
The comic avoids complex terminology, focusing instead on basic historical facts such as key events and figures that are easy for young players to understand. Vibrant, colorful visuals of lush landscapes and friendly characters, complemented by cartoon-style illustrations of famous historical figures and events, help make the content more engaging.
Additionally, the game incorporates interactive elements such as spinners for random outcomes, and character tokens that children can physically move on the board to progress in the game. This tactile engagement keeps young players interested and actively involved in the game.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
The game is designed to enhance the teaching of Colombian history in schools by making the learning process more interactive and engaging.
The expected outcomes include:
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Students will develop a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of key historical events in Colombia, including their causes and consequences.
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Help students sharpen their critical thinking skills by engaging in activities that require them to analyze, organize, and connect historical events.
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The game’s interactive and playful approach is expected to increase student interest in history, making them more motivated to learn due to its interactive nature.
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Fosters teamwork and collaboration among students, helping them to build social skills and learn from one another.
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Through repeated play and interaction with the historical content, students are likely to retain historical facts and concepts more effectively than through traditional teaching methods.
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Enables students to apply these lessons to modern-day contexts and their own lives, helping them understand the relevance of historical events.
REFLECTION
Designing this educational game has been an insightful experience that showcased how user-centered design improved the learning experience for students. My focus was on creating a product that both meets educational goals, such as improving retention rates, and engages young learners through interactive challenges and rewards.
A key takeaway from this process is recognizing how iterative design enhanced the game by addressing usability issues and incorporating user feedback. The game went through several rounds of prototyping, testing, and refinement, with feedback from educators and students guiding each iteration. This approach allowed me to overcome challenges and integrate new ideas, ensuring the final design was both functional and enjoyable.
Testing with students provided essential insights, helping me make adjustments to improve the game's appeal and effectiveness. Reflecting on the process, I realize how crucial empathy and adaptability were in understanding user needs and adjusting the game mechanics accordingly. Understanding the needs and challenges of both teachers and students was key to creating a tool that truly enhances the educational experience.